Tuesday February 9, 2010
King Kong returns to wreak havoc at Universal Studios Hollywood, Michael Jackson doppelganger, Captain EO, moonwalks back to Disneyland, and an old coaster gets a new lease on life at Six Flags Magic Mountain. These are just some of the old/new attractions opening this season. There are some new/new goodies coming as well. Let's take a park-by-park look at all of the fun in the California Ride Guide 2010.
Photo: A rendering of the WALL-E scene from the Disney's World of Color nighttime spectacular coming to Disney's California Adventure. Disney 2009. Used with permission.
Monday February 8, 2010
Looking for an excuse to book a trip to Disneyland? The California resort is running a promotion that offers free airfare to kids, ages 2 to 11, with each paying adult who books a minimum 2-night flight, on-property resort, and park tickets package. The hitch? The participating carrier is Alaska Airlines, which services a limited number of cities flying into Los Angeles. To learn more about this and other offers, check out my California theme park deals page.
Friday February 5, 2010
Six Flags announced yesterday that it was closing Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville. The park chain, which is nearing the end of its bankruptcy restructuring, said that it was unable to renegotiate favorable lease terms with the Kentucky State Fair Board, the owner of the property on which the park sits. According to a statement issued by Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro, the decision to shutter the park does not reflect on the other parks in the chain, and the 2010 season will proceed as planned.
The breakdown in discussions with the State Fair Board must have been swift and unexpected. In a recent interview with Shapiro, he said that he was lowering season pass prices and cited Kentucky Kingdom's bargain rate as an example. The chain is offering refunds to 2010 season pass holders. The fairly small Louisville park had generated relatively low attendance numbers and had never been highly regarded among park fans. Its closing may benefit nearby parks, including Kings Island and Holiday World.
Thursday February 4, 2010
At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Michael Phelps set world records and won eight gold medals at the facility known as the Water Cube. Beginning in July, anyone with the price of admission will be able to break Phelps speed record by barreling down one of the water slides at the indoor water park now being built on the site of the Water Cube. According to China Radio International, the converted Olympic facility, now called the National Aquatic Center, will feature multiple wave pools, a bowl ride, and lots of slides. The tallest slide will soar 75 feet in the cavernous building. At over 100,000 square feet, the indoor water park will be one of the largest in the world.
